Weekly Toddler Activities - Page 2

[nuggetsmom]

lining blocks up

I am so depressed with our blocks. Our floors are not level at all! The food flung from the high chair rolls into a closet just to give an example and even I can build only about 3 blocks high before it all comes down. So lining them up sounds like a good idea to me. And DD isn't getting the hang of fitting those lego's together either. I may try to level out the coffee table so we can bildon it.

Funny thing is that I don't notice it walking around anymore.

Oh, and maybe some of us could come up with ideas for older toddlers and put it on this list. I wold be interested in hearing them, but I don't have them for ideas because, well, DD is 18 months.

[suke3]

car washes

my 11 month old and my almost 3 year old had a great big car wash at bath time tonight. All the trucks that could get wet did. We used scrub brushes, wash clothes, baby shampoo. Fun fun fun

[Mothernature]

I was sooo excited to try the goop idea with the cornstarch, and dd had absolutely no interest in it. I was so sad because she loves to help cook and pretend to cook so I thought this would be great but evidently I was way wrong. We're going to try the clothes pins today.

[Megs Mom]

Aw, {{{LISA}}}, they do have their own ideas don't they? Darn opinionated little creatures... Let us know how your afternoon goes.

[AvalonDaughter]

I am a little lost in the shuffle. Which group of toddlers are these actitivies for?

[Mothernature]

Yea! It's finally my turn!!

Ok, I've been thinking of things that we have been doing lately that have been successful that could be modified for younger tots as well. So, here goes:

1) Birdfeeder- take a piece of stale bread (preferably something thick and chewy) or an old bagle and cover it with honey or peanutbutter. Your toddler can help you roll it in birdseed and tie a ribbon around it to hang it outside your window. You can watch the birds come eat your little snack and talk about birds and winter and whatever else they think of.

2) Seedling planter- This is a great way to get your spring germination done and spend time with the little ones to boot. Take an empty egg carton and have your child fill each cup with a little dirt. Then make a hole and plant each seed and cover it up. Have your little one water it then cover it with plastic wrap. In a few weeks you'll have a plant to transplant into your garden or a container or whatever you choose. We're doing herbs so dd can eat the fruits of her labor.

3) Kazoo- take your empty toilet paper roll cover one end with a small square of wax paper and fasten it with a rubber band. You now have a kazoo. If you want to get fancy you can have your toddler decorate the roll first.

4) Finger print stamps- take an ink pad and have your toddler put her fingers in the ink one at a time and make finger prints on a piece of paper. After she has had fun with that part of it make pictures out of the prints.

5) Potato stamps- you don't have to use potatoes for this if you have a smaller toddler use an apple or pear. If you are using a potato, make shapes, letters or numbers out of the potato, dip them in paint and stamp them on the paper. MIL gave me some number cookie cutters and we are using them to make number stamps. If you are using apples or pairs, just cut them in half and use the inside as your stamp. You'll have a beautiful picture of an apple or a pear. We have been using Zen's artwork to wrap presents.

I hope you can use some of these. I have a few more up my sleeve if I get another turn.

[AutumnWind]

lisa2s, I love the fruit stamping idea. What kind of paint is okay to use with a 20 month old?

[Mothernature]

We have some washable paint from Crayola. At 20 mos you should be able to instruct them to keep it out of their mouthes.

[beanma]

i love reading this thread, but because of personal circumstances and general lameness i haven't signed up for a week.

autumnwind -- pudding paint is great. vanilla pudding + food coloring = paint. you don't have to worry about your little one eating it (although i'm not a big fan of artificial dyes in real food). you can also make paint with flour and water and food coloring. the pudding has a better consistency, though, i think. if you don't have any on hand just mix flour and water and food coloring to the desired level of goopiness and voila -- paint! i tried cooking the flour and water a little last time like really runny homemade playdough, but it was still a little grainy. dd (2) didn't seem to care either way, though.

so many great ideas here. you mamas all rock!

[Curly Locks]

Lisa2s~Cool ideas! I think everyone here is so creative and I appreciate all the effort. I am going to paste all the activities into MSWord and print them off and put them in a notebook for easier reference cuz my memory is so bad! Plus dh will love reading your ideas and seeing what a neat thread this is and trying the ideas out. Thanks for keeping this going everyone and to Breathe for her extra input of ideas this past week. I really enjoyed reading them and plan on trying a few this week!

[fraya]

a few ideas

I'm not technically part of this thread/group, but I enjoy reading the ideas. Here are a couple that we've used lately that have been hits:

COLOR ICE: Color some water using food coloring (you could try the primary colors so that you can ultimately enjoy combining colors to see how blue + yellow = green) and then freeze it in an ice tray. Play with them in the bath tub! The color seems to centralize in the middle of the cube, but it still makes the cube more interesting and easier to keep track of. My son particularly enjoys using the sandbox shovel that I got for him for the bathtub-ice play -- he can practice his motor skills by trying to scoop up the ice. Same thing for corks from that rare bottle of wine (actually, we rarely drink so I have to beg for them from my parents and sister!).

OIL AND WATER: My son is interested in shapes. So we took a small, shallow bowl (about 3-4 in. in diameter) and put a few tablespoons of water in it. Then I picked up the canola oil bottle and dropped a few drops in -- we looked at how they formed circles, ovals, and globs. Then my son enjoyed sticking his finger into a shape to see how it changed the shape. Then he enjoyed stirring the whole thing and sliding his hands together. I encouraged him to rub his hands on his (bare) legs and knees, pointing out body parts as part of the deal. I would recommend that you do the activity on an easy-clean surface, perhaps with a big terry towel under the two of you, that you have a small terry towel/washcloth on hand for clean-up immediately afterward, too. And consider adding some food coloring to the oil, though we had a lot of fun exploring the first time around without it.

I think that the ice idea is derived from one presented in The Busy Toddler Book. I can't remember!

Those are two of our fun ideas from this week.

[AutumnWind]

fraya - I love the color ice idea. But I'm wondering about my 20 month old - he tends to put ice in his mouth and try to eat it. He choked on a piece last August (but he was only 14 months then) & I haven't given him any since. How old is your son? I'm thinking I might try the ice idea now that mine is older.

beanma - thank you for the paint recipies!

[fraya]

My son is 22 months old and has not really been putting non-food stuff in his mouth for a while now. He also generally listens to us when we describe the danger/safety issues involved in something. (Although, he was awfully disappointed when I ruined his fun putting a screw into an outlet yesterday. He was so excited to show me his great idea, and then I rained on his parade! I felt so bad.)

The same is true of the oil idea ... I didn't need a towel underneath because he knows and heeds the warning of "slippery." He knows from personal experience, though!

With the ice, it melts so quickly in the bath water and in his hand that it wasn't a big deal. He never did even try to put it in his mouth, though. Also, I used the ice cube trays rather than the crescent-shaped cubes that our freezer's icemaker makes. We also use the cubes at the beginning of the bath, when the water is warmest.

The first time, we just plopped six cubes in the water. The next times, we gave him one cube at a time so that he could explore the properties more in-depth. He's a studious one, our little guy. Loves to read and study things. Once, I counted that he spent at least 5 minutes studying the triangle and square pages of a book (by himself)!

Anyway, I hope that the ice cube idea works for you. It's a lot of fun for us.

[Bella's Mama]

Activities

Sorry I'm a little late posting... I know if anyone will be understanding it's all of you mamas...Here are some fun art recipes with a few ideas for their use included!

Watercolor Cakes
1 Tablespoon clear vinegar
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon corn syrup
Food coloring
Mix vinegar and baking soda in a bowl. When the mixture stops fizzing, add cornstarch and corn syrup. Blend together. The mixture will have a strange, cakelike consistency. Divide the mixture among three lids. For each color, blend in a few drops of food coloring with a paintbrush. Use immediately, or, after the colors have dried into cakes, swirl a wet brush into each color to start painting.

Thick Paint
Paintings don't have to be flat. The paint can stick out like on a Van Gogh. Spread it on with a butter knife or squeeze it out from a squeeze bottle or a plastic zip sandwich bag, and use colored paper.
1/2 cup soap flakes
1/4 cup water
Add a small amount of soap flakes to the water; then beat with an egg beater. Continue adding flakes and beating until mixture is evenly blended. Homemade soap flakes can be made by grating bar soap. Be sure the bars are absolutely dry. Sift the grates through a mesh sieve for a soft powder.

Cornstarch Finger Paint
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup water
Food coloring or powdered tempera dissolved in a little water
Combine cornstarch with a little of the water in a pot. Stir until they form a smooth paste. Now stir in the rest of the water. Now put the pot over low heat stirring constantly so the mixture doesn't stick. Simmer until clear and thick. Cool. Divide into bowls and blend in coloring or blend in the coloring as you finger paint.

Flour Finger Paint
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup water
1 Tablespoon liquid detergent
Food coloring or powdered tempera
Combine flour, detergent, and water in the mixing bowl. Stir until they form a smooth paste. Divide into bowls and blend in coloring or , blend in the colors as you fingerpaint.

Soap Flake Finger Paint
Whip up a batch of this paint before your child's next bath. Let them paint the bathtub walls with it.
1/4 cup soap flakes
1/2 cup warm water
food coloring
Add a small amount of soap flakes to water in a bowl and beat with an egg beater. Continue adding and beating until mixture looks like whipped cream. Divide into bowls and blend in coloring, or just blend as you paint.

No-Cook Flour Dough
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup water
Combine flour and salt in a bowl and stir. Add water and mix thoroughly. Gather the mixture in your hands and press it into a firm ball. Put the ball on a clean surface and knead until you have a smooth dough.

Cooked Flour Dough
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
Combine all ingredients in a pot. Stir over low heat being careful not to let the mixture stick. Keep stirring and cooking until the mixture looks like mashed potatoes instead of soup. Remove the pot from the stove and cool until ready to handle. Put the glob on a floured surface and knead until you have a smooth dough.

Cornstarch Dough
Follow the same directions as for the Cooked Flour Dough but use the following ingredients:
1 cup cornstarch
2 cups baking soda
11/4 cups water

Soapy Dough
2 cups soap flakes
1/2 cup hot water
Pour soap flakes and water into a bowl. Add a few drops of food coloring if you wish. Beat until evenly mixed. Gather the mixture in your hands. Press it into a firm glob. Place the glob on a pie plate. Shape it anyway you want. You can let it dry for a few days, and enjoy it as a sculpture, or use it as soap.

Cornstarch Paste
If your child eats a little bit of this, you don't need to worry!
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup water
Mix cornstarch and sugar with a little bit of the water in a pot. Stir until it forms a paste. Gradually add the rest of the water and stir. Cook the mixture until it looks like pudding. Store in a covered, clearly marked container in the refrigerator.
This is a great paste to make torn paper collages which toddlers love to do!

[Bella's Mama]

I put my activities/recipes for the week of February 16th in a thread called activities...sorry I'm such a dork...my only excuse is I'm pregnant!

[peggy]

No problem..I just moved it over here..

[Megs Mom]

Cannot WAIT to try the ice cubes in the tub!!!

[Curly Locks]

Was someone going to start a thread for older toddlers? I think it would be a great idea, but not necessary for my benefit. I'm pretty good at knowing what will be too advanced for my 14 mo. But I can see it would be helpful to have another thread so when going back for ideas it will save a lot of time.

I pasted the activities into MSWord, printed it, and dh and I read and starred the ones that were age appropriate for ds. Dh really got a kick out of the ideas! He even did a blanket ride today for ds while I was taking a much needed nap. I didnt even make the suggestion to do the blanket ride, he just remembered. Ds loved it!!! After dinner tonight they let me in on the fun.

[marchmom19]

today dd and i did ice painting... we put paint (finger paint) on paper..put ice on each drop of colour and shook the baking pan paper was in. wonderful abstract pics and dd had fun holding the tray and watching the ice slide across the paper leaving behind colourful trail.

fun to do with the winter season.!

(could even bring in snow from outside and try with that??)

hugs
stephanie

[grumo]

Here it is Sunday again, and time for some fresh ideas...

Lesson plans

1. Pictures – It was quite relieving to me to one day realized that I do not have to keep EVERY photograph I take. Picture taking and picture displaying changed for me once I realized I could throw out the pictures that simply aren’t very good or were very similar to another picture I like. Now with dd instead of tossing those pictures I keep them for her. She has a substantial stack (over 75) of pictures I keep tucked away until moments when we have nothing to do. I take them out and we go over them talking about each one. She can kiss the pictures, crumple them up in her hands, get fingerprints all over them and when she looses interest in talking about the people in them with me, she likes to spread them about the house. I usually leave them out for the rest of the day and sometimes into the next and she idly picks them up and looks at them. They are easy to stack back up and put away until the next time. When some get too mangled I toss them.

2. Peeling an Egg – okay, I didn’t set out to do this, but one day I discovered that dd *really* enjoys peeling hard-boiled eggs. I had her standing on a chair in the kitchen watching me cook and she really wanted to handle the egg I was about to peel. I let her try it and it took all her concentration. She carefully peeled the shell off, deliberately placing the shell where I asked her to put it; she picked up dropped pieces, and when some shell stuck to her fingers she worked to get it off. It had her complete attention for about 10 minutes. She also didn’t mangle the egg! For those of you who haven’t boiled an egg for a while: place egg(s) in a pan with cold water to cover, and bring to a boil. After you get a rolling boil, set the timer for 12 minutes (or more if you are at a high altitude). Drain water and fill pot twice with coldwater to cool eggs quickly.

3. Tin Can Play – They make can openers that remove the lid without cutting the metal now. This means no sharp edges. I saw a tin can used to make a musical instrument by adding a chopstick or a spoon. It clangs well on the inside, it rubs on the inside and the outside, and it bangs on the bottom. It is, also fun to drop things inside (like a musical egg shaker).

4. Finger Plays – As a first time mom, I know about 10 songs and only a couple of those have hand motions. Here is a web site that has tons and tons of fingerplays:
Fingerplays
and here is a site with tons and tons of songs:
Songs

5. Rearrange the furniture – Make lily pads with couch cushions and jump on them. Make a temporary slide out of a table leaf and your couch. Use couch cushions to make a tunnel. Bring out your sheet and make a fort again. Stack the pillows.

and, because I have another idea…

6. Toilet Paper play – You know they love it. Let ‘em play with their own roll every once in a while. Make a trial and walk along it. Wrap the furniture in it. Scoop up handfuls and throw it in the air. Shred it. Put pieces in something. Take pieces out of something.
Once when I was having a bad week and needed 10 minutes to myself, I let dd completely destroy a full box of tissues. When she lost interest, I put all the tissues in a photocopy paper box and left it available. Every other day or so she’d become interested in it again and play with it. I kept it out until the pieces were so small it was annoying. Do the same type of thing with the toilet pa